Day 1 – June 23, 2024 – Part one
This day began much earlier than the last but was much earlier for others. Legislative committees began meeting at 7 am this morning for discussion on recent resolutions. The business of the 81st General Convention began with Holy Eucharist at 8:30 am. The preacher was the current President of the House of Deputies, Ms. Julia Ayala Harris. She preached on the Gospel appointed for the day, Mark 4:35-41, and the theme of the 81st General Convention – “Together in Love.”
A highlight for me was the presence of a group of singers from the Anglican Church of Burma (Myanmar). I spent three weeks in Burma traveling around three different dioceses there in January 2005 while in seminary. I mentioned this to my dad, and he suggested I might know some of them. I then reminded him that it had been 19 years!
Following Eucharist, the houses began their respective business. The House of Deputies began by verifying a quorum was present. For the morning session of the first legislative day, we had 813 deputies present (representing relatively equal numbers of lay and clergy deputies). It was pointed out that there was a deputy present here for his sixteenth time as a deputy of General Convention, meaning he began attending in 1976! Other housekeeping items followed.
Break for lunch at noon.
